Senate orders NIMASA DG’s arrest over failure to defend $9.305bn loss

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has uncovered how the officials of Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) allegedly paid $5 million to a legal firm as professional fees for the recovery of $9.3 billion loss.

The $5 million which is five percent of the amount agreed was paid for the intelligence based tracking of global movement of Nigerian Hydro-Carbon and recovery of loss by the Federal Government of Nigeria in the sum of $9.3 billion between 2013 and 2014.

The Senate Panel made the discovery following its consideration of the Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation which is currently before the Committee for oversight scrutiny.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Matthew Urhogbide, who frowned at the failure of the NIMASA to appear before the panel, said that the committee had no other option than to issue a warrant of arrest on the Director General of the agency.

According to him, “We have invited NIMASA up to three times but they have failed to honour our invitations. This committee has no other option than to issue a warrant of arrest against the Director General of the agency. They can come to the National Assembly for the appropriation of funds but when it is time to give an account, they will be nowhere to be found.

“The committee has invited NIMASA up to three times for the explanation on the payment of $5 million as professional fee and details of $9.3 billion loss by the Federal Government but the agency declined the invitation,” he stated.

The report of the Auditor General sighted by our correspondent, revealed that all efforts by the Auditor General of the Federation to see the details of $9.3 billion loss by the Federal Government for thorough scrutiny was not granted by NIMASA. (Courtesy  New Telegraph)